Three dimensional puzzle with tactile response

ABSTRACT

A jigsaw puzzle kit is provided having a plurality of interlocking puzzle pieces configured for assembly to form a three dimensional image, each puzzle piece having a surface an image applied thereon, a resilient layer for generating a tactile response when the puzzle piece is depressed, and a rigid backing layer below the resilient layer for providing support. Also provided is a method of manufacturing a jigsaw puzzle which includes the steps of applying an image onto the surface of a resilient material; applying a mold to the resilient material so as to create variations in the height of the resilient layer; adhering a rigid backing material to the molded resilient material; and die cutting the resilient material and the rigid backing material to create a plurality of interlocking puzzle pieces.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Jigsaw puzzles with tactile response

BACKGROUND

The following paragraphs are not an admission that anything discussed inthem is prior art or part of the knowledge of persons skilled in theart.

Jigsaw puzzles are typically made of interlocking cardboard, wood, orplastic that are assembled to form a complete image. The completedimages are typically a two dimensional printed image, and are not ableto display a three dimensional or multi-layered image. Typical jigsawpuzzles also do not provide a tactile response when depressed.

SUMMARY

What is provided is a jigsaw puzzle kit having a plurality ofinterlocking puzzle pieces configured for assembly to form an image,each puzzle piece having a surface having a portion of the image appliedthereon, a resilient layer for generating a tactile response when thepuzzle piece is depressed, and a rigid backing layer below the resilientlayer for providing support. Due to the molding, the height of theresilient layer varies in the assembled image. The resilient layer maybe comprised of a material selected from one of polyvinyl chloride,polyurethane leather, and leather.

Also provided is a method of manufacturing a jigsaw puzzle whichincludes the steps of applying an image onto the surface of a resilientmaterial; applying a heated mold to the resilient material so as tocreate variations in the height of the resilient layer; adhering a rigidbacking material to the molded resilient material; and die cutting theresilient material and the rigid backing material to create a pluralityof interlocking puzzle pieces.

These and other aspects of the device and method are set out in theclaims, which are incorporated here by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Embodiments will now be described with reference to the figures, inwhich like reference characters denote like elements, by way of example,and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a completed three dimensional puzzlewith tactile response.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a puzzle piece in its naturalstate.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of a puzzle piece when depressed.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a die cut outline for a jigsaw puzzle.

FIG. 5 is a close-up perspective view of a character element having anelevated profile, according to another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a close-up perspective view of a background element accordingto the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a close-up perspective view of a character element accordingto the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a puzzle kit having a PU leatherresilient layer, according to yet another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a process flowchart of a method of manufacturing a puzzle kit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Immaterial modifications may be made to the embodiments described herewithout departing from what is covered by the claims.

As shown in FIG. 1, provided is a textured, multi-dimensional puzzle 200with tactile response. In the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 1, theprofile of characters 202 in the image are raised over other elements inthe image, including buildings 204 and background element 206, whicheach also have their own elevations. The elevations of the variouselements are determined by the thickness of the resilient materialunderneath the printed surface. Various elements of the puzzle may bedepressed by the user to provide a tactile response.

Typically, the elements with the greatest thickness also provide thegreatest tactile response. These elements may be the main subject of theimage, in this case being the characters 202. A close-up view of thebackground element 206 with an elevated profile is shown in FIG. 6, andsimilarly, a close-up perspective view of another piece containing acharacter 202 with an elevated profile is shown in FIG. 7, as well asyet another character 402 according to a different embodiment in FIG. 5.However, the elements with raised profiles are not limited to anyparticular type of characters, objects or backgrounds, but could be anyobject, pattern or random part of the image.

The puzzle pieces are manufactured using a resilient layer which maycomprise material selected from one of polyvinyl chloride (PVC),polyurethane (PU) leather, and leather. These types of materials havebeen found to be able to permanently retain an applied (e.g., printed)image while also being able to be depressed to generate a tactileresponse. They may also be readily heat molded or hot embossed intovarious shapes and structures to create a three-dimensional structure.Other resilient and moldable materials such as rubber or sponge may alsobe used to generate the tactile response when depressed, but the surfaceof the material may need to be treated (or an additional printable layeradded) so that it can permanently retain an image that is printedthereon. The resilient layer is not limited to the materials describedabove, and may include any other resilient material that has a printablesurface or the ability to be attached to a printable surface.Preferably, the resilient layer itself is of a single piece constructionas opposed to multiple pieces bonded on top of each other or adjacent toeach other, which may become detached over time through use, especiallyby young children.

For young children, the tactile response provided by the resilient layermay be beneficial in that it adds an additional sensory element duringthe assembly process. For those who are visually impaired, the varioustextures would allow them to assemble the puzzle which would notnormally be possible with flat puzzle pieces. Where the resilient layeris made of leather or PU leather, it may also appeal to adults or as acollectible item by providing a more premium or traditional feel to thecompleted puzzle, akin to a book having a leather cover. An example ofpuzzle pieces 500 having a PU leather resilient layer is shown in FIG.8.

Shown in FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a puzzle piece in itsuncompressed state, showing printed surface 102, resilient layer 104,and the paper backing layer 106. When depressed, as shown in FIG. 3, theresilient layer 104 will provide a tactile response. When released,resilient layer 104 reverts to its uncompressed state as shown in FIG.2. Through the application of a three-dimensional mold, even in theuncompressed state, the thickness or height of the resilient layer willvary throughout the image and between each puzzle piece. However, theoverall thickness of this layer, if using a PVC material such as blankfoam PVC, is preferably within a range between 2 mm to 5 mm. Throughexperimentation, it has been discovered that where the layer is thinnerthan 2 mm, it may not have the necessary resiliency to create a tactileresponse when being depressed, and thickness greater than 5 mm may causeadditional difficulty during the molding or die-cutting stages. Theweight and density of the PVC may also vary depending on the thicknessof the material. For example, 3 mm thick PVC foam material may have aweight of approximately 1.06 kg/m², whereas a 5 mm thick PVC foammaterial may have a weight of approximately 1.74 kg/m². For othermaterials, such as PU leather and leather, the optimal range may beslightly different, as it may be difficult or costly to produce PUleather or leather material having thickness of 5 mm.

The backing layer 106 is preferably provided as rigid support and toprovide a flat back surface. The inclusion of backing layer 106 may alsocreate a typical jigsaw puzzle “click” sound, feel and additionalsupport when being assembled. Without backing layer 106, the softness ofthe resilient layer 104 may produce a less satisfying feel when beingassembled. The backing layer 106 also adds weight to the resilient layer104, which if using a material such as PU leather or PVC, may be lighton its own. The increased toughness of the backing layer 106 will alsoprevent folding of the puzzle pieces during transport or assembly, andalso helps keep the puzzle connected when assembled. While the backinglayer may be a separate material such as cardboard or plastic, it mayalso be integral with the resilient layer. For example, it may comprisea one-piece PVC foam with greater density at one end (thus being morerigid) than the other (resilient) end.

Also provided is a method of manufacturing a multi-dimensional jigsawpuzzle with tactile response, a process flowchart 600 of which is shownin FIG. 9. In accordance with this method, a two-dimensional image isapplied via process 602 onto the surface of a resilient layer such asthat described above. For ease of applying an image, the surface of theresilient layer is preferably flat, although depending on the method ofapplication, the resilient layer may also already be at least partiallytextured or molded. Depending on the resilient layer, the image may beapplied directly on the resilient layer (e.g., if using a material suchas PU leather, leather or PVC), or the surface may need to first betreated (or additional surface layer added) to receive the ink or otherforms of print if using other types of resilient material such asrubber.

The method of image application may vary, although two forms of imageprinting that have been shown to work include a heat transfer methodusing aqueous ink, and a silkscreen method using sedimentary ink. Themethod of image application may also affect the feel of the surface—theheat transfer method may produce a deeper and softer textured image,while the silkscreen method may produce a more shallow and coarsetexture, similar to the printing found on clothing such as t-shirts. Ithas also been found that the silkscreen method of printing may createodors that are more apparent than when the heat transfer method. Theimage application process is not limited to the types of printtechnology described above, and may also include the additionalapplication of jewelry and other ornaments to specific elements withinthe image, and may even include hand drawn and painted designs on thesurface of the resilient material.

After the image application has been completed, via process 604 amulti-layered mold (e.g., a heated mold) may be applied to the resilientlayer to create texture, and to compress certain portions of the imageto give it a three-dimensional feel. It is through this process that thethickness of the resilient layer is changed throughout the image. It hasbeen found that when using a resilient layer made of PVC or PU leather,the printed ink is able to stretch together with the change in thicknessof the resilient layer, thus not requiring any touch-up printing to anyangled or raised areas. However, if necessary, the image may bere-applied or touched up after molding if necessary. Preferably, theedges of any raised areas are smoothed (which may be dictated by themold) to create a more gentle feel for the user when handling the puzzlepieces. A gradual angle of elevation (for example, less than 45 degrees)for raised areas may also allow for easier diecutting (to preventclipping or cracking during the die-cutting process), and may preventink from stretching to the point of cracking, which would requireadditional touch ups. Depending on the desired design, the mold maycomprise multiple elevations, for example, where the deepest (ortallest) layer is reserved for main characters or subjects in the image,with the lowest layer being reserved for the background elements such asthe sky. A two-sided mold (to mold both the top surface and raise thebottom surface) may be used to create greater height, particularly whencreating embodiments employing materials such as PU leather where thethickness of the material may be somewhat limiting. In some embodimentswhere a two-sided mold is used, the backing layer will especiallyimportant as raised portions of the resilient layer may not otherwisehave the proper support. As described above, the resilient layer mayalready be molded or textured prior to the printing process, althoughdepending on the degree of elevation and the printing process used, apre-molded resilient layer may create difficulty during the printingprocess. For example, a flat heat transfer print will likely not be ableto transfer the image in its original form when used against an alreadymolded or textured resilient layer. It may also be possible to have themold designed to apply colour or inject ink during the molding process.However, for ease of manufacturing, typically the printing is performedbefore the mold is applied.

Before or after the printing, a backing layer is adhered to theresilient layer via process 606, which may be done through bonding orgluing. The backing layer may consist of standard jigsaw puzzle materialsuch as cardboard, so as to allow the user to create the typical “click”feeling when assembling the pieces, although other flat, rigid materialssuch as plastic may be used. However, as also described above, it mayalso be integral with the resilient layer (such as through a PVCmaterial with variable density).

Once the backing layer has been adhered to the resilient layer, theentire puzzle is die cut into jigsaw pieces via process 608. Shown inFIG. 4 is a top view of a die cut outline 300 that may be used to createthe puzzle shown in FIG. 1. The die cutting may be performed in thetypical random jigsaw patterns, although for aesthetic reasons, it ispreferable to design the die such that it cuts around elevated objectssuch as main characters in the image, for example as shown in FIG. 4.This method would allow the elevated characters to stand out on theirown, and also allow for additional designs such as jewelry and otherornaments to be added to the characters before the die cutting processwithout the risk of damaging those additional elements.

Note that the steps in the disclosed method may be performed in anyorder. For example, as described above, the image application may beperformed before, during or after the molding process. Also, the die cutprocess may be performed prior to the bonding of the rigid layer to theresilient layer, although two components would then need to be die cutseparately and may also increase the risk of the rigid layer not fullymatching the resilient layer during the bonding process.

In the claims, the word “comprising” is used in its inclusive sense anddoes not exclude other elements being present. The indefinite articles“a” and “an” before a claim feature do not exclude more than one of thefeature being present. Each one of the individual features describedhere may be used in one or more embodiments and is not, by virtue onlyof being described here, to be construed as essential to all embodimentsas defined by the claims.

1. A jigsaw puzzle kit comprising: a plurality of interlocking puzzlepieces configured for assembly to form an image, each puzzle piecehaving: a surface having a portion of the image applied thereon; aresilient layer for generating a tactile response when the puzzle pieceis depressed; a rigid backing layer below the resilient layer forproviding support; wherein the height of the resilient layer varies inthe assembled image.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resilientlayer comprises a material selected from one of polyvinyl chloride,polyurethane leather, and leather.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe surface is integral with the resilient layer.
 4. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the resilient layer is bonded to the backing layer. 5.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elevated portions of the resilientlayer comprise characters within the assembled image. 6-9. (canceled)